Today I spent the ENTIRE day in the compound. Starting to go a little stir-crazy I’m spending so much time here. I am not visiting the school as much, because I need to focus on my job here, but the result is that I’m probably spending too much time in front of a computer doing research. Blah.
I had a 9:00 meeting with Connie to review her previous weeks work and upcoming projects.
Then I shot out a couple emails to MFI organizations I’m trying to partner with Educate! One of the top organizations is FINCA. I attached the email to the head of FINCA Uganda so ya’ll can understand why I’m trying to develop a partnership.
Then I completed a sustainability report for 3 Colorado University MBA students that are looking to make Educate! a self-sustaining organization. Basically, as things stand now, Educate! relies on donations, grants and fund raisers to sustain its operations. Business 101 tells you that’s a VERY hard model to keep running. What most non-profits try and do these days is implement a revenue-generating model so the business can be economically autonomous and not rely on donations. I filled out their questionnaire and attached it because it sheds some light on what Educate! is trying to do here.
While I was working Rachel and Evan went into the city to get cellphones and a few other items.
They came back at 2:30 and Rachel had a HUGE jerry can.
“Umm, whats that about?” I asked.
“Its for making water so I don’t have to buy it.”
“How do you do that?”
“You put water in a jerry can, put in a tab of chlorine, wait 20 minutes and then you have drinking water.”
“Does it taste like cholorine?”
“Umm, yeah a bit.” She admitted.
No thanks! I’ll stick to buying water from Mercy!
After Rachel explained how the jerry can water system worked Evan and I decided to walk down the street to the local bar to play some pool. It was nice just to get outside. Turns out Evan is a pool maverick and he beat me handily. I casually reminded him that he was only 19 and I could beat him up with my “old man strength.” J
When we got back to the compound:
BLACKOUT
GRR!!! The blackouts have become so frequent lately. Its really really frustrating and annoying.
Since we had no power, and could not cook Rachel, Evan and I walked across the street to Edith’s restaurant. Edith, God bless her soul, uses a wood fire which is impervious to the ravages of the subpar Ugandan powergrid.
We ordered matoke, beans, rice and avocado and the three of us ate in Edith’s small restaurant with a small candle on the table.
Rachel and Evan thought it funny that I had a credit at her restaurant (last time I was there my meal cost 1,300 USH (65 cents) and they couldn’t break my 10,000 bill so I officially have credit at her restaurant J).
We got back. It was still a blackout…went to sleep.
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